Strong Enough
by MultiFandomRandomWriter
Summary: Eressëa has been wounded. Badly. Orcs captured her. She's been rescued now, but the scars are real. Her recovery is slow, and a mystery calls her. Estel has long been her best friend, and now he's acting strange. Her injuries handicap her. She's determined to do her goals... But will she ever be Strong Enough? Rated T for violence. Please leave a review on what you think!
1. Shadows

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: You may** **read** **the name Estel we several times. This is Aragorn's name. Aragorn is Estel so don't get confused. ON WITH THE STORY!**

 **Eressëa POV**

It is utter chaos. Orcs are running everywhere screaming about Elves. I have a fluttering thought of hope; are they here for me? Willthey rescue me?

The orc with the knife is not fazed, he starts to come towards me. I scream.

"Eressëa! Wake up!" I hear Estel call. I wake up with a start.

 **Estel POV**

Eressëa screamed in her sleep. I knew what was happening- the dream again.

"Eressëa! Wake up!" I call to her. She wakes up with a start. "You had the dream again, didn't you?" She looks at me, catching her breath for a moment before answering.

"Yes."

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yes, I'll be fine." She says rather breathlessly. It was the same dream she has every night. She's shaking. "It. . ." she stops.

"It what?" I urge her on.

"It was so terrible. And the dreams just bring it all back." She traces the scar going across her face with her finger.

"You should rest, it's only been nine days, mellon." she lays back on the bed.

"I don't want to sleep. If I sleep, I'll have the dream again. I don't want to remember again." she says

I feel so sorry for her. She is so afraid.

 **Eressëa POV**

"You should rest, it's only been nine days, mellon." He says. I lie back on the bed, too exhausted to stay sitting. But I don't want to sleep, if I sleep I'll have the dream again. I tell him so.

"I don't want to sleep. If I sleep I'll have the dream again. I don't want to remember again." He givesme a gentle look, I wonderwhy he's always so good to me, he has no reason to that I know of. I close my eyes, I am so tired and I hurt all over. I feel myself drifting off to sleep.

 **Estel POV**

She finally fell asleep. I hope she has a few hours of peace. I get up and walk out the emerald green door -her favorite color. It's not night now, but still she sleeps. She's still so weak. I wonder if she'll ever be strong enough to even stand. . . I wish I could tell her-

"Estel!" My mother calls. "Estel! There you are. Where have you been?"

"With Eressëa, she had the dream again." I reply. A shadow crosses my mother's face.

"oh the poor girl." She says. I know she wishes also, I don't know why she doesn't just tell her.

"Is there something you needed?" Surely she hadn't been looking for me just to see what I had been doing. She's not _that_ protective.

"Oh, yes. I'd forgotten. I need you to take these to the Lord Elrond." She says as she hands me some lumpy packages wrapped in brown paper.

"Alright, I'll go immediately."

"Thank you, I love you." She says. In public. In front of other people. Then she huggs me. In public. In front of other people.

"I love you too." I awkwardly tell her. In public. In front of other people. I do love her but in public? In front of other people? I'm twenty, a grown man. And she told me she loves me. In public. In front of other people. I hear some giggles from a couple of Elf-maidens to the left. I'm glad not many people are around. I feel my cheeks grow warm.

"I better get these to Lord Elrond. . . " I say, then turn and leave.


	2. Light

**Estel POV**

I walk towards the Lord Elrond's halls. They are so vast, so majestic. I had forgotten how beautiful they are. I haven't been here since I was a child, though the Lord Elrond has been like a father to me. I hand the packages to the guard,Lord Elrond is not at home now and he seems to know what they are for. As I walk away I decide to go through the woods, I have no where else I need to be.

A song comes to mind. The Lay of Beren and Luthien Tinuviel.

 _The leaves were long, the grass was green,  
The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,  
And in the glade a light was seen  
Of stars in shadow shimmering.  
Tinúviel was dancing there  
To music of a pipe unseen,  
And light of stars was in her hair,  
And in her raiment glimmering._

 _There Beren came from mountains cold,  
And lost he wandered under leaves,  
And where the Elven-river rolled  
He walked alone and sorrowing.  
He peered between the hemlock-leaves  
And saw in wonder flowers of gold  
Upon her mantle and her sleeves,  
And her hair like shadow following._

 _Enchantment healed-_

There she is! Tinuviel! I call out to her.

"Tinuviel! Tinuviel!" She's even more beautiful then I had imagined. She's looking at me! She is coming over!

"Why do you call me that?" She asks me. Oh, maybe she isn't Luthien after all.

"I said so because I thought you were she." I reply hoping I don't sound like an idiot. She's laughing softly. . . I hope that's good sign.

"Many have told me so." She says. She's looking at me again, what do I do? What do I do? Ugh! Get a hold of yourself, Aragorn! It's just an Elf-Maiden, you've seen them before. I should say something. . . but what? What do you say to the light itself?

"No, I am not her, though she is my ancestor. I am Arwen Undomiel, daughter of the Lord Elrond." She breaks the silence I have so awkwardly created. The words flow so naturally from her lips, while stand here tongue tied! I give a small bow, trying not to fall over.

"My Lady." I finally manage to get a couple of words out.

"You don't have to be so formal." I can't believe it. The sun, the moon, and all the stars in the sky have told me I don't have to be formal to them. "And who are you?" She questions me. I've forgotten my manners

"I am-" How do I introduce myself? As Estel or with my true identity, Aragorn. Surely I can trust her, she's like an angel. "I am Aragorn. Son of Arathorn." I'm bragging, aren't I? What is she doing? She's curtsying.

"My Lord." She's teasing me. She is so graceful. I'll play along with the teasing.

"Would you like to take a walk with me, fair maiden of the house of Elrond."

"I might if I could, but I'm afraid I must be hurrying home." Oh, yeah, home. I hope I don't look to disappointed. "Namarrie." She says and mock curtsy's to me again.

"Namarrie." I say. I don't want this to be farewell. "Will I see you again?"

"You might."

"I look forward to it then." She's walking away. I watch her disappear behind the trees. I feel like I could fly! I practically float home.

 **Eressëa POV**

All I can feel is pain. I open my eyes. Where am I? It's so bright. I close my eyes again. The light is welcome, but it is too bright. I hear voices I don't recognize.

"How old is she?" A male voice asks.

"But seventeen." A voice belonging to a woman replies.

"That is all to young." The first voice says. "Is there anything we could do for her?"

"Not a lot. But she is in a lot of pain. We could ease the pain for a short time."

"Then let us do that." I feel the pain go away. "We shall give her a precious few hours peace."

I wake up. I peek my eyes open. The light is gone, it is night. I feel better than I have since before the Orcs captured me. It was just a dream, but. . . I can't help but feel it was real. I slip off to sleep again.


	3. Forgotten

**Eressëa POV**

A sharp pang suddenly shoots up my left leg, I gasp for breath. I open my eyes, the Orc with the knife licks my blood off of his knife. I look at my leg, it's very bloody and ends just below my knee. The Orc laughs and saunters off; no doubt to torture some other poor soul. I can't breath. The pain is to great. An Orc with only one eye pours Orc draught down my throat. I hear the crack of whips and feel them come down upon my body.

"Stop the dream!" The voice of the man from earlier. "Stop the dream! Somebody wake her up! Get her out of there!"

The Orcs laugh at me and kick me. But then their laughter dies away, their kicks stop. I can still feel the pain. It's so hard to breath.

 **Gilraen POV**

Estel has been so quiet recently, I wonder what is wrong. . . or what is right. I shall have to talk to him. I worry about our hope, my son. He's not just the heir to the throne, he is my son!

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 **Estel POV**

I don't even have words to say what has happened. She was so beautiful. There was someone else I should see. . . but I can't remember who. I can't remember anything much. I should tell my mother. She would understand and maybe I won't go insane if I tell someone. I wish I could remember who I need to visit.

 **Eressëa POV**

I struggle to get some air. I open my eyes, just light. Last time this happened I felt amazing, now I can't breath. I close my eyes again.

"There's nothing we can do," The female voice from earlier says. "just let her live through the dream."

" _Will_ she live?" The man. He seems to care about me.

"She lived through it in the real world, in dreams she has a better chance."

"There _is_ something I can do, though it is small." I feel air rush into my lungs. I try to gasp out thanks but nothing comes except choking sounds. I can breath again, though my breaths are small and shallow. Oh thank you! Thank you, sir! I wish I could actually tell him.

 **Estel POV**

I just want to see her again, The Angel, The Beauty. I am in love, I'm certain. Will I ever see The Light again? Of course I will, I should not think of such things. There is somebody I'm forgetting, but who?

 **Eressëa POV**

I cry out in pain; an Orc swipes his knife a cross my face. I don't want to die.

"Remember, this is only a dream." The man.

"You must let her battle it out herself!" The woman.

"But she's so scared! And in so much pain!"

"Not another word. She must do it herself."

The Orc kicks me. If only I could stand up, maybe I could battle my way out. I try and fall over. The Orc slapped me. Pain shoots through my jaw.

I wake up.

Oh, I hurt. I trace the scar on my face; something I have started doing often. I feel feverish. Where is everybody? I thought at least Estel would care for me. But I have not seen him for three days. Has he forgotten about me?


	4. Remembered

**Eressëa POV**

I am drowning, now burning, now falling. I tumble through the air and land in water starting the process again. I can't stop, scenes flash through my memory. I awake. I sleep. Faster and faster. Drowning, Burning, falling. Awake. Asleep. The wind blows. A Warg howls somewhere in the distance. Drowning, burning, falling. Orc knife. Light. Dark. Falling, Tumbling.

Faster. Awake. Asleep. Burning. Wind. Memories. Loss. Hope. Falling. Falling. Drowning. Air. Burning. Falling. Awake. Asleep. Stop. Go. Falling. Pain. Healing? Falling. Asleep. Awake. Help. Go Away. Stay. Falling.

"Stop her!" I can't even distinguish voices now. Falling. Orcs. Awake. Asleep. Faster. Stop? Go! Faster. Air. Tumbling. Drowning. I fall. Where is the water? I hit rocks. Everything goes black.

 **Estel POV**

My mother cornered me.

"What has been going on, my son?" She says. Have I been that obvious?

"I met Lord Elrond's daughter in the woods on the way home after delivering the packages."

"His daughter?"

"Yes, his daughter. She is more beautiful then the sun and the moon and all the stars combined. Elladen and Elrohir had spoken of her before, but never of her beauty."

"Oh, Aragorn, my son." She says with a sigh. Uh oh, what does that mean? "She is an Elf-maiden, and we are but mortals"

"What are you saying?"

"My son," She replies. "Your aim is high, even for the descendant of many kings. For this lady is the noblest and fairest that now walks the earth. And it is not fit that mortal should wed with Elf-kin." I know all this. I say the only clever thing I can think of.

"Yet we have some part in that kinship of Elves," I at least sound smart. "If what I have learned is true."

"It is true," She says, see, I'm smart. "But that was long ago and in another age of this world, before our race was diminished. Therefore, I am afraid; for without the good will of Lord Elrond the Heirs of Isildur will soon come to an end. But I do not think you will have the good will of Elrond in this matter."

"Then bitter will my days be upon this earth. And I shall walk in the wild alone." I feel as though I will cry.

"That will indeed be your fate." Thanks for the encouragement, mom. Now I know I'll cry. I turn to leave.

"Aragorn." I turn around, don't cry. "Have you been with Eressëa recently?"

"No, I'll see her as soon as possible." That's who I was forgetting, I feel terrible. Was she all alone for four days? I walk away, remembering my fate.

As soon as I am out of sight I run. A few tears, A visit to Eressëa, and then I'll be on my way.

 **Eressëa POV**

I wake up. It was a dream, I didn't actually die. I almost wish I would. I fall asleep again.

I'm taking a walk on a sunny day, it is beautiful. But soon clouds start to come in, my horse takes off. Oh why did I go so far from Imladris? I'll have to walk. It's getting dark. I hear a noise. I turn around slowly. There are Orcs all around me! I pull out my dagger, they are too close to shoot with my bow, and besides, my horse had it strapped to it's back.

"Ooh! The She-man wants to fight!" Says a particularly ugly Orc. He comes at me. I stab him and he falls over, dead. Oh boy, the other Orcs don't seem happy. They all come at me at the same time. I slay several of them, but more just keep coming.

"Help!" I yell, no one is going to hear you! I tell myself. They overpower me. One wearing what appears to be an Elf-Maiden's hair as a loin-cloth grabs me and carries me away. I've dropped my dagger.

"Ooh, we'll have fun with you!" Says a very non-comforting voice to the right.

 **Estel POV**

I can never have the Light as my own. I'll never see her beauty again. Oh Arwen Undomiel! I'll always love you! You made me forget about the rest of the world, it just didn't exist with you. But how could I have forgotten about Eressëa? I should go to her now. I walk down the hall. I can't believe I forgot about her. I knock on her door; moans answer me. I walk in, she is tossing a bit on the bed. She looks thin-well of course she looks thin, nobody fed her for four days. I'll wake her up and get her some food.

 **Eressëa POV**

They take me to the mountain and throw me an a small prison.

 **#######**

It has been five days, and they haven't even fed me. Wait, I hear footsteps, an Orc. He grabs me and harshly pulls me out. He practically drags me into a large room with several other Orcs standing around. One with a bottle comes up to me and pours Orc draught down my throat. It burns, I'm awake now at least. The one that had been carrying me drops me. Another kicks me. Then another, then another.

"Eressëa!" Who is that? Estel! He remembered me!

"Eressëa!" The male voice that keeps helping me.

"Eressëa! Wake up! I brought you some food, I'm sorry I forgot about you!" Estel. I wake up and he holds some food out to me. I can't even take it, I'm to weak. I look at him silently pleading for help.

 **Estel POV**

She looks at me with pleading eyes, she can't even take the bread I brought for her.

"Oh, Eressëa! I'm so sorry!" I'll have to hand feed her. I'm feeding her and she eats it as fast as she can get it down her throat. She's finished now, and she's looking at me with grateful eyes. She has nothing to be grateful about to me. I forgot her. I can't leave her like this. I'll stay with her until she is strong enough.

 **Eressëa POV**

Thank you, Estel. I'm falling asleep. Falling. Drowning. Burning.

"Wakey, wakey!" I hear a sinister voice call. I blink open my eyes to see an Orc standing above me. He kicks me and pain shoots through my side.

"Ready to have some fun today?" asks another one and grabs a whip. I feel it sting my back.

Falling. Fear.

I grunt at the Orc in response to his rhetorical question about fun. The whip cracks again.

Hurt. Hate.

"This one is clever, we'd better watch out for her." Says a third voice.

"It's alright. A few days with us and she'll lose this independent attitude." The second Orc says and then laughs evilly. Oh no, this can't be good. All the Orcs laugh menacingly. The whip cracks again. I try not to look like it hurt.

"This is a dream." That's not an Orc. It's one of the voices-guess who.

"Don't!"

"Yavanna, She needs help."

"Then leave it to Nienna, she'll take care of her."

"The Lady of Mercy will not save her."

"Aulë,"

The whip hits me again, drawing me out of my daze. I gasp, it is unexpected. They beat me and I cry out in pain.

 **Estel POV**

Eressëa yells, I can hear her even from down the hall. I was headed back to my house. I turn around and head back. As I walk in she tosses and turns. I'll wake her up.

" Aulë!" She shouts and sits up right. Aulë?

"Oh, Estel,"

She's talking! These are the first things she has said since I. . . since I forgot about her.

"It's just you." Yep, just little old nobody me.

"Do you need anything?" I ask her, she looks at me for a moment before answering.

"Why are you so good to me? You have no reason I can think of." Wow, she has entire sentences, this must be a good sign. Yeah, no reason. I must speak to my mother about this. Eressëa needs to know.

"You. . . you need someone to look after you, why not me?" She is giving me suspicious looks.

"Why not someone else?" Yeah, she's suspicious.

". . .Because I'm here." Okay, I sound cheesy, but it got her to give it up. She closes her eyes and I sing to her. She's asleep now, I'm sure.

"I love you." I whisper and kiss her on the forehead. I sit beside her bed for a little while before I leave.

I seek my mother out, I must talk to her of Eressëa. Oh! There she is!

"Mother!" I call. She turns and looks at me.

"Estel, whatever is the matter?" Shoot, I really need to get a hold of my emotions; I'm to easy to read.

"Eressëa, I need to tell her." I say without hesitation.

"Yes, but wait for the right time, don't rush ahead."

"Of course."

"Then you have my blessing to tell her, she may be old enough now." She says. "Oh! And Aragorn, Elrond wants to see you later. He'll send word."

"Thank you for notifying me." I head back to my room and fall asleep.

I awakened by a knock on my door; it was my mother.

"Estel, Elrond has sent for you."

"Why so early?" Oh come on, I wanted sleep. . . Eressëa probably does too.

"Aragorn! It's nearly lunch time!" Huh? Did I seriously sleep that long?

"what?" I groggily ask.

"It is almost lunch time!" WHAT? I slept that late? I spring out of bed, I gotta hurry. "That's more like it."

I throw my clothes on and grab a bite to eat before running out the door. How did I sleep in so long? I get there just a couple minutes late. I calm my breathing before I step inside.

"Aragorn, Arathorn's son, Lord of the Dunadain, listen to me! A great doom awaits you, either to rise above the heights of all your fathers since the days of Elendil, or to fall into darkness with all that is left of your kin. Many years of trial lie before you. You shall have neither wife, nor bind any woman to you in troth, until your time comes and you are found worthy of it." That is encouraging. NOT!

"Can it be that my own mother has spoken of this?"

"No indeed, your own eyes betray you. But I do not speak of my daughter alone. You shall be betrothed to any man's child as of yet. But as or Arwen the fair, Lady of Imladris and Lorien, Evenstar of her people, she is of a lineage greater then yours, and she has lived in the world already so long that you are but a yearling shoot beside a young birch of many summers. She is too far above you. And so, I think, it may well seem to her. But even if it were not so, and her heart turned toward you, I should be grieved to because of the doom laid on us." What doom?

"What is that doom?"

"That so long as I abide here, she shall live with the youth of the Eldar, and when I depart, she shall go with me, if she so chooses."

"I see, then I have turned my eyes on a treasure no less dear then the treasure of Thingol that Beren once desired. Such is my fate." I understand the future. The days of Elrond are running short. "But lo! Lord Elrond, the years of your abiding are running short at last, the choice must at last be laid upon your children, to part either with you or Middle-Earth." What am I saying?

"Truly," He says, I guess he understood. "Soon, as we account it, though many years of men must still pass. But there will be no choice before Arwen, my beloved, unless you, Aragorn, Arathorn's son, come between us and bring one of us, you or me, to a bitter parting beyond the end of the world. You do not yet know what you desire of me."

He sighs, then is quiet. There is a bit of an awkward silence following.

"The years will bring what they will. We will speak no more of this until many have passed. They days darken, there is much evil to come." I nod my head in understanding an leave. I must go in the morning, there is nothing left here for me.

 **Eressëa POV**

"She is doing a lot better, did you have something to do with this, Aulë?" The woman. This is a pleasant alternative to Orcs.

"Maybe,"

"Aulë!" She seems disapproving.

"What?" Aulë, I know of Aulë.

"She needed to get better by herself! She could become worse then she was before!"

"I know, but, Estel is leaving tomorrow, and I wanted her to be able to say goodbye." Estel is leaving? Where? Has he forgotten about me again?

"Why this one? What has gotten your attention? Why not any of the other hundreds of people in Middle-Earth?"

"I know not. She just needs me." Suddenly Orcs surround me, laughing as I yell out in pain. I've been here for nearly two weeks by my count - which may be wrong.

A sharp pang suddenly shoots up my left leg, I gasp for breath. I open my eyes, the Orc with the knife licks my blood off of his knife. I look at my leg, it's very bloody and ends just below my knee. The Orc laughs and saunters off; no doubt to torture some other poor soul. I can't breath. The pain is to great. An Orc with only one eye pours Orc draught down my throat. I hear the crack of whips and feel them come down upon my body.

I've been here I'm certain for two weeks. My left leg is swollen and infected. I struggle for consciousness. I hear yells, Orcs start running around screaming about Elves. I have a fluttering thought of hope – are they here for me? The chaos is almost to much for me, I feel queasy. I look around, Orcs running everywhere. But the one with the knife, the one that took my leg no more then three days ago, is not fazed.

He comes closer, his knife glistening. I know he will kill me. I scream.

My screams don't help, he comes closer.

He is almost on top of me when something slams into him from the side. . . It is Estel!

I look around, Elves are killing Orcs left and right.

I pass out of consciousness.


	5. Goodbye

**Estel POV**

The sun sets and sleep takes over. The sun rises, I awake. Today I leave. I walk out of my room and see my mother making breakfast.

"Here, I made you some breakfast." She hands me a plate that has various food items on it.

"Thank you." At least be polite, after today, who knows if you'll ever even see her again. I sit down at the table.

"You're welcome!" She says in a very cheery voice and sits down across from me. We eat in silence for a little bit. "You're awfully quiet today."

"Is that bad? You used to always tell me to be a little quieter when I was little." Those were good times.

"No, you just seem very quiet. What's wrong?"

"I love you," She seems surprised. That may have been the wrong answer.

"I- I love you too." Yeah, she's just a bit taken a back. "You're leaving today aren't you."

A statement, not a question. I just nod my head yes.

"I knew it was soon, but I had hoped for a little bit longer." She's making me feel guilty, this is already going to be hard.

"I would have also, but now is the time."

"Yes, you must go today." She's crying. I feel tears on my cheeks, I'm crying. We sit there for a few minutes, just hugging and crying until she decides it's been long enough. "There, you must have a lot to do today. You should get going."

A lot to do yes, that reminds me:

"Would you look after Eressëa when I'm gone?"

"If you have told her."

"I plan to today."

"Then I will. Go on! You have a lot to do!" I walk out the door and head for Lord Elrond's house, I must say goodbye to him and. . . Arwen. Elrond seemed to know that I was coming, he was waiting.

"You are leaving today, Aragorn son of Arathorn." Always formal, this is most certainly Elrond.

"Yes."

"Therefore, you have come to bid me -and my daughter- farewell." sometimes it's creepy how much he knows.

"Yes" It's the only thing I can think of. "Like a father you have been to me, I could not leave without saying so."

"Yes," Now it's his turn to say only yes.

"Goodbye, until we next meet."

"Namarrie," Elvish for farewell. "my son."

I leave to seek out Arwen. After just a few minutes I find her with the instruction of a guard.

"Arwen! Arwen Undomiel! Evenstar! More beautiful then the heavens themselves!"

"Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Lord of the Dunadain!" Just hearing her voice is like flying. "We meet again."

"But not for very long, I fear. I am going out, into the wild. I have just come to bid you farewell."

"Then when will I see you again?" She wants to see me again?

"I know not. I hope soon though."

"Yes, soon. For me at very least, for you I am not so sure." Sigh, Elf/Race of men thing again. "Farewell, Aragorn. May thy paths be green."

"Farewell, my beautiful maiden. My heart will weep until I see your face again." This is going to be hard. Just go! I finally, reluctantly turn around and walk away. I glance back and she is waving, I wave back. Eressëa, I must tell her and say goodbye.

I approach Eressëa's small house, more of a shack really. When she was just a baby she was abandoned on a bridge, some Elves had taken care of her until she was nine and was old enough to take care of herself, then they kind of left her on her own. She had lived in Lord Elrond's house for a while after that (where the Elves that had taken care of her lived), then she went out and built this little house. And, of course, she painted the door her favorite color -emerald green.

I knock a little before I enter, no answer. I walk in she's sleeping on her bed, just like always since the attack. I'll let her sleep a couple more minutes. . .

 **Eressëa POV**

The Orc with the knife comes closer, I know he'll kill me. I scream.

"Eressëa!" Estel's voice.

"Eressëa! Wake up! Estel is here!" Aulë says.

"Aulë, don't do anything stupid." Yavanna says in a warning tone.

"I won't. Eressëa! Wake up!"

 **Estel POV**

She screams, I better wake her up.

"Eressëa!" I say and shake her gently. I'm getting no response. "Eressëa?"

" Aulë!" She shouts, that's the second time she's said that. Aulë is a Valar, one of the archangels from Eru Iluvatar. Why would she be saying that?

"Estel!" She sounds surprised.

"Hello." She is just blinking a bit. She looks very weak, I can't leave her like this.

"Hello, what are you doing here?" She is all of a sudden looking a lot stronger.

"I. . . I just came to visit." Don't tell her yet, wait a little longer. She sits up, looking almost as strong as she was before she was captured.

"Oh, okay. It's nice to have someone to visit with, since I have no family. Thank you for thinking of me." She is practically doing my job for me. Now I just have to finish it.

"Well, actually. . ." Oh man, this is going to be hard. Just tell her.

"Well?"

"You- you _do_ have family."

"What?" Oh man, how is she going to take this?

"Yeah. . ."

"Who?!" She asks, suddenly aggressive, ready to fight for her family.

"Me. My mother. Eressëa, you are my sister."


	6. Family?

**Eressëa POV**

"Oh, okay. It's nice to have someone to visit with, since I have no family. Thank you for thinking of me." I say, only it's not me. It's Aulë. I would have said something close to that, but that was a bit formal.

"Aulë!" Yavanna, always the strict one.

"Well, actually. . . " He's hesitating.

"Well?"

"You- you _do_ have family." I what?

"Stay strong! Don't fall over out of shock." Aulë! Stop messing with my thoughts!

"What?" This is to much. _I_ have family? _Me?_

"Yeah. . ." This seems awkward for him. But I have _family_?

"Who?!" It comes out a bit harsher then I wanted it to, but _I_ have f _amily!_

"Me. My mother. Eressëa, _you_ are my sister."

"I- I- I- I am your sis- sister?" I'm shaking and stuttering. This is to much.

"Yes." He replies calmly. How can he be calm at a time like this?

"You- and- and _you_ are my brother?" I'm going to cause an earthquake I'm shaking so hard.

"Yes."

"And- and then- your mother. . . is _my_ mother?!"

"Yes, and my father your father." He's saying this like it's nothing! I've gone seventeen years without any family, and now he tells me that _he's_ my brother? I can't take this all in. It's to much. I close my eyes for a moment, trying to calm down.

"Eressëa? Are you all right?" Since when did he start speaking directly _to_ me?

"Aulë! What am I going to do with you! You can't just go around talking to mortals!" Yavanna sounds more like an angry mother then a wife.

"Eressëa?" Estel seems worried about me.

"ah, uh, eh,. . . yes?"

"Are you okay?" am I okay? He just told me he's my brother.

"Yes. . .I am fine. . ."

"Are you sure?"

"How long have you known?"

"Since I was old enough to keep a secret."

"Why didn't you tell me? Why was I abandoned?"

"Our mother did not wish for me to tell you. As for why you were left I know not." I don't even know what to say. I feel tears on my face. "I am truly sorry."

As if that's going to make it up to me.

"I was left seventeen years, all by myself, and then suddenly you just drop it on me?" I say through my choked back tears. I don't know whether to be happy I have family or angry that I was never told and was abandoned.

"I know, I wanted to tell you so many times." He hugs me, I push him away.

"Don't touch me." This is the last time I'll ever trust quickly. It's also the last time I'll wear my feelings on my shirt, literally, I have tears all over it. He just stands back looking at me. I stop crying, this is it. No more tears, ever. No emotions, I've had enough from Orcs. It is the end of my feelings.

"Our mother, she''ll look after you when I leave." Leave?

"Leave? Where are you going?" I say, very coldly, very monotone. He looks at me with sadness, probably at the way I said it.

"I'm going out into the wild."

"Then I hope to see you sometime again." In the same cold, monotone voice.

"I'll miss you, Eressëa."

"Mmm." I grunt, feigning disinterest. I really want to scream and kick and cry over how unfair the world is, but I'll never let anyone know that, not ever.

"Farewell, sister." Sister, I am his sister. He is my brother. I'll at least give him that.

"Farewell brother." In the same, disinterested, cold, monotone voice.


	7. Revealed

**Estel POV**

She hates me. It was not the life she deserved. She could have lived with us. She could have had a good, loving family, instead of a few Elves who were only taking care of her because Lord Elrond told them to.

"Farewell brother." Oh, yeah, I should probably tell her about my name.

"Oh, Eressëa-" She cuts me of.

"Don't utter my name again. I am no longer 'lonely' anymore. I have _family_ remember?" She says with malice.

"I'm sorry," I don't quite understand this. "My real name is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. I was only told but a short time ago."

"Well then, _brother_ , A _ragorn_ ," She says, spitting the words brother and Aragorn at me. "farewell."

That hurts me.

All of a sudden she falls over! She was fine just a second ago, and now she's passed out on the floor. She just fell off the bed. I run to her, she's bleeding.

 **Eressëa POV**

"Well then, _brother, Aragorn,"_ I say the words 'brother' and 'Aragorn' flying out of my mouth like fire. He seems hurt, but so am I. I feel a wave of dizziness pass over me.

"Yavanna!" His voice seems agitated, like when a child asks what's wrong and it's not really a question you can answer.

"Oh, what is it now?" She seems tired, I would be too if I was married to Aulë.

"Help me. . ." He's trying to hide how worried he is from me- it's not working.

"What's wrong?"

"She's slipping."

"I _told_ you this would happen."

"Just help me!" I am so dizzy, I pass out.

Drowning. I am drowning in my tears.

Burning. The words fly like fire from my mouth.

Falling. I fall to the floor.

Darkness. Everything goes black as I hit the ground.


	8. Some Getting Used To

**Eressëa POV**

"Eressëa? Are you okay? Aragorn left after he put you back in your bed." Gilraen. Aragorn's- my- our mother.

I feel her brush my hair out of my face, no one has ever done that for me before. Aragorn left, Estel is gone. He probably hates me. Oh, what have I done? Gil- my mother continues to stroke my hair, I want her to stop, I'm not used to all this attention, all this love, it's confusing.

"My daughter," As if she ever treated me like her daughter, I was just Estel's playmate. I open my eyes and see her sitting there beside my bed.

"Why did you abandon me?" I ask coldly.

"Oh, Eressëa, I didn't want to, it was for your own safety."

"From what?"

"From the evils of this world that would have sought you out. It was dangerous for me to keep Aragorn, even with his name changed." She really does sound sad, but I'm not sure I can trust her. Aragorn... he's gone. I can't just let him leave, he is after all, my brother, I must face the truth.

I look down at my left leg, how will I walk with that? Or rather, without that.

"Is there anyway I would be able to walk?" I ask.

"There may be a solution." If I can ever do anything but lie in bed I'll be happy.

"And what is that?" I ask, now it _is_ me being formal. Where is he anyways?

"Here, I'll show you. I'll be back in moment, just sit there and wait patiently." She gets up and leaves the room. A few minutes later she comes back with a pair of knee-high black leather boots.

I stare at her expectantly. It's just a pair of boots, how are these going to help me?

"Here, look." She holds the boots out to me. I take them, they appear to be normal, everyday boots. "Look inside."

I look inside. The right one is normal, just a boot. The left boot has wood in it. There are also some pieces of cloth and a few straps with buttons on the ends of them. I look up at her, a questioning look on my face.

"The boots will cover up the wood, the cloth is to make it more comfortable, and the straps are to keep it on."

"How did- what- I- this is amazing. Thank you."

"You may have a bit of a limp, but no one should be able to tell you are missing part of your leg."

I throw the covers off and slide my one leg and knee off the bed.

"What are you doing? You need rest."

"I'm going after Aragorn, we didn't part in the friendliest terms. Thanks for worrying about me though... mother." I'm back to cold tones, but the mother part was sincere. "And as for rest, why? I'm as healthy as a horse! Speaking of horses, I never asked, was Valinor ever found?"

"Yes, he's in the stables, I don't think this is such a good idea..."

"I'll be fine. I promise. Now, I'm going to need a cloak, and something besides pajamas."

"Alright, if I can't stop you I might as well help you, I'll find some things."

"Black? To go with the boots?" Now I'm begging.

"Alright." I don't smile. I can't smile anymore, my smiling days are over, as are my crying days.

"Thank you!" At least I still _sound_ grateful.

My mother walks towards my closet. I remember making that closet. She pulls some things out and looks at them.

"Eressëa! These are threadbare!" She exclaims. "I'll go get some new things."

She walks out of my door, my emerald green door. I love it, it's the highlight of my house. She comes back in a few minutes later with a small pile of clothes- mainly black, but there is some color.

"here, will these do?" she asks, holding a black cloak up.

"Yes, thank you, these are perfect." I put on a black robe-dress-thing with some black loose leggings. I slip the boots on and do the straps on the left one.

I carefully stand up. I take couple of steps, this is going to take some getting used to.


	9. Starting Again

**Estel POV**

I thought about when I left Rivendell, Eressëa and I didn't part on the friendliest terms. I wish I could change what happened. Did I make the right choice? Maybe our mother should have told her. Oh well, it's too late now and I'm too far away.

"Well Aragorn, what now?" I am talking to myself. That's probably not healthy. I come to a fork in the path. "Right or left?"

I should stop talking to myself. I'm probably just a little lonely. I hear some bushes rustle.

"Who's there!?" I shout. A bunny hops away. Great. I got scared by a rabbit. This is going to take some getting used to.

Eressëa POV

I take a couple more steps, I have a heavy limp. I wonder if it's bad.

"I'm sure with a little practice it won't be as noticeable." Yeah, it's bad. I take couple more steps, then a couple more, then a couple more. My gait is uneven and I'm limping, but I'm walking! I thought I'd never walk again.

I walk over to my mirror, I look amazing, you can't even tell. I love how I look it's- I see my scar, it's very noticeable. I pull my hood up, it's big enough that it casts a shadow on my face, you can't see my scar like this.

"Thank you. I should get going, I'm already behind." Say something more, even if you don't actually feel it, it'll make her happy. "I... I love you, mom."

She gets a huge smile, well _that_ made her happy.

"I love you too, my daughter." K, yep. I already knew this.

"Farewell." The coldness in my voice surprises even me. The smile melts from my mother's face.

"Farewell." She says in a gloomy tone, now I've done it. I give her a smile- a fake one of course- and walk out the door. She follows me to the stables, it takes me a while, I'm still getting used to this whole leg thing. I see my horse Valinor in her stall, well fed and groomed.

"Did you take care of her?" I ask, I'm astonished.

"Yes, I could not let such a beautiful horse die."

"Thank you!" I say for the billionth time, and I still mean it.

"You're welcome." She says, smiling at me. I saddle Valinor. My mother waves as I ride her out of Imladris. I wave back. The world awaits.

 **I'd like to thank everyone who has given their time to read this! This is an older story that I have never gotten around to editing, sorry about any and all typos and continuity errors. If you notice one please inform me and I'll do my best to fix it!**

 **I am happy to announce that there is in fact a sequel! It is unfinished, but I'm working on it. It's named Another Man's Shoes, so if you liked Strong Enough please check that out!**

 **Thank you so much!**


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